Claw
by Starfly
Summary: Summary: This story delves into the government’s involvement with the Millennium Items, why Pegasus created Duel Monsters, and why Seto Kaiba was the top duelist before Yugi. No pairings as of yet; if you ask really nicely I may put in your favorite on
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games and do not receive profit from it. Also, one of the events present in the storyline was derived from the wonderful CLAMP's Clover, and I should add that I don't own that either. However, the basic storyline is mine, as are all added characters.  
  
PROLOGUE  
  
The boy's eyes shimmered strangely in the haze. Rain was pouring from the sky in waves, and yet not an inch of him was wet. There seemed to be an odd sort of light, like someone had smeared white pestle on an oil painting, surrounding him. His black hair draped about his shoulders, abnormally long; his skin was cream-colored, and his face blank. The scar along his cheek should have been what attracted attention to him; it was thick and knotted and ugly-but it was his eyes that stood out the most; there was no iris, and the black pupil was shaped more like a cat's than anything else.  
The eyes were fixed on the mangled body before him. It had once been a girl. Her throat lay open, her body was covered in bruises and cuts, her bones protruded jaggedly from her flesh, her blood flowed freely. The boy remained expressionless at the ghastly sight before him. His long fingers were dripping blood.  
Then he turned his head, to look at another child nearby. He, unlike the boy, was alive, but looking at him one would feel he desired a fate such as the girl's. His skin was deathly pale, blue eyes wide, entire body stiff. He was looking as though it was the end of the world, resigned sadness in his manner.  
Beyond tears.  
"This is what happens," the first boy said softly. "I said she would suffer for taking us apart, and she did. We're together, like it was meant to be."  
Affection shaped his face, but eyes remained blank.  
"Together."  
He reached out to stroke the other's face, but the blue-eyed boy tilted his head away, gaze never leaving the corpse in front.  
The pale hand fell back against its owner's side. White eyes widened as the youth felt, for the first time, rejection.  
"But."  
The other child refused to move.  
"You killed her," he said, no emotion present. "She was scum," he replied. "She was our class," said the first, his voice now sounding slightly strained. "I said I would take care of her." The white-eyed boy's pupils thinned slightly. "It was still her fault. She should never have gotten involved if she valued her life." "She didn't." Silence. The blood was beginning to dry on his fingers. He stared unseeingly at the corpse in front of him, breath drawn hard. "No. She didn't." He looked like he was choking. Then, "You did." Anger rushed through him. "I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT UNDERSTANDS YOU! SHE NEVER COULD! WE'VE BEEN THROUGH EVERYTHING, AND YOU WILL NOT LOVE SOMEONE ELSE! YOU LOVED HER, AND I KILLED HER!" Then, with quiet intensity, "And everyone else you love I will kill and kill and kill until only you and I remain because we are bound in destiny." The blue eyes trembled. The murderer stepped back. He stepped back as though suddenly uneasy, as if he was afraid of losing something very dear. Then he looked as though the very idea was foolishness itself. He turned his head slightly, so his scarred cheek was in the other's line of vision, and like a magnet it tore the blue gaze from the dead girl and to the healed wound.  
"You see it, don't you," the first boy said. "I took this for you. I marred myself, lowered myself, for you, and it's all here in a petty flesh wound. We came together, we will be together, and if you should choose, we will die together."  
The mourning one was now looking at him fully.  
"Come with me."  
No reply.  
The white-eyed one lifted his hand again. The blood was now dry.  
"For the Claw," he said, voice compelling, and curved his fingers in the semblance of one.  
Self-hate convulsed the other's face. And then it disappeared, with a loyalty, if not a love, that matched the first.  
"For the Claw."  
The Claw ruled them all. 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games and do not receive profit from it. Also, one of the events present in the storyline was derived from the wonderful CLAMP's Clover, and I should add that I don't own that either. However, the basic storyline is mine, as are all added characters.  
  
A/N: This story is about the origin of Duel Monsters, Seto Kaiba's past, the Millennium Items, ect. Of course Yugi and the rest are involved. If you want a certain couple or something like that, ask for it and I may incorporate it into the story.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * For those who are not familiar with the original version, here's a brief list of characters whose names were changed:  
  
Anzu: Tea Honda: Tristan Jounouchi: Joey  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anzu politely covered her yawning mouth as the red-haired girl before her chattered on. She had done the orphan visit purely on Yugi's pleading. Now she wondered how he could do this every week, and felt a flash of admiration for her friend. She wasn't nearly as giving, and could imagine how badly Honda and Jounouchi were faring.  
Stoneridge Orphanage housed over a hundred children, and was one of the first in the area to start the "Teen to Teen" program. They rounded up teenage orphans and non-orphans to try and evoke social interaction. She felt plainly uncomfortable, almost guilty, because she had had a good life and these kids had been screwed over. The girl she had been paired with, however, apparently did not, and had been cheerfully talking nonstop for the last hour. Anzu wondered at her ability to speak and not say anything; so far all she had learned was that the food was good, but sometimes not, that she was good at school, but then you could say she wasn't, and that though the people were extremely boring she could find plenty to say on each and every one of them. The brown-haired girl mentally scolded herself- she was here to listen, and if there was a lot to listen to, then so be it.  
A little while later, the coordinator of the entire event waddled up to the makeshift podium at the head of the room. She was a short woman, with wavy blond hair- well, as Jounouchi had said, "She looks kind of like Yugi. Only fat."  
"Atten-" the rest of the word was drowned out by the squealing of the microphone. "Atten-" and again the noise was smothered. "ATTENTION!" she bellowed, startling everyone in the room, and the microphone settled down.  
"Ladies and gentleman," she continued, in her normal, rather nasal voice, "it is my pleasure to be up here in front of you all. A dedicated boy from our community, who was a regular volunteer, suggested the program, 'Teen to Teen'. He has worked very hard to install this program, and it is because of him that we could enjoy this time with each other."  
There was a round of silence.  
She coughed and moved on. "It makes me proud to see all the children here today." Aside from she and her friends, only a few others had shown, and Honda and Jounouchi had threatened most of them into it. Not many children that lived there had come either. The woman- Anzu squinted to see her nametag- Miss Sasaki seemed completely oblivious of this, and happily prattled away.  
"Yu-" Miss Sasaki stopped suddenly, and even Anzu could see, three tables away, Yugi drawing a finger swiftly across his throat and violently shaking his head in a negative fashion. "The program's originator wishes to remain anonymous, but I would like to thank him anyway." She winked obviously at Yugi. "So say goodbye to your new friends, and then head toward the exit."  
"Goodbye, new friend. It was lovely listening to all your bullshit," said the boy at the table next to Anzu, voice loaded with sarcasm. Surprised, she turned around and saw a boy, with sandy blond hair and acid green eyes; smirking at the girl he had been paired with. Her amber eyes lowered to the ground, seemingly trying to hide herself in her long sheet ebony hair hiding most of her face, evidently hurt.  
"Shut it, Tomokazu," Anzu's partner, Minami, snapped. She seemed angry with him. Anzu figured that the boy must be the one from Stoneridge.  
  
Tomokazu swiveled around on his chair, raising an eyebrow. He saw the red-haired girl's angry expression, and a wry smile twisted his lips. "Ah, Minami," he sighed mockingly. "Always the gentle one, aren't you? Almost dog-like in your efforts to please."  
"Tomokazu!" she cried.  
"Well, though you may be lacking in pride, I most certainly am not. I haven't chattered my life story away to a rich little girl just dripping with pity for us who are worse off. But, you know, she feels our pain." His eyes raked over Anzu, and his lip curled. "Looks like I got off easy. You," this was directed at her, "look like a regular little bitch. Probably from Minami. Did you try to pay her to shut up?"  
Anzu felt her cheeks flush in anger, fully ready to tell this little brat exactly what she thought of him, but Minami cut her off.  
"Well, at least I have a sense of dignity," she said, taking a deep breath. "I don't make myself look like an idiot, trying to feel all big and powerful by trying to make others feel like crap. I treat people with respect."  
"Oh, boo-hoo," Tomokazu mocked. "That almost sounded like you had a brain, Minami. How long did it take to rehearse?"  
By now, everyone was looking at them.  
"Hey, what's your problem?" Anzu could recognize the voice of her friend, Jounouchi.  
"Oh look, they defend each other," said Tomokazu. "It's touching. It really is. Hey," he yelled, "What are you doing on the rich side of the table? I could've sworn I saw you digging your meal out of a trashcan. Come here, the food's not bad, last time I didn't even find any bugs in it!"  
The cook, who was nearby, bristled.  
"Why are you always so angry?" Minami whispered sadly, so soft that only Anzu could hear her. "I try to help."  
"Is there trouble?" Miss Sasaki was waddling toward them, an expression of concern on her face. Her glasses reflected the glare from the sun, making it difficult for one to look directly at her. Her gaze settled on Tomokazu, and her kindly face suddenly contorted with anger. Doughy hands gripping her hips, she tapped her foot as she began what was to be a lecture. "Tomokazu, of course, why would I expect it to be anyone else. Always causing trouble, aren't you, always ungrateful, and we try to help you, but no, you always shun everyone away. It has to be you, just you, always strong, always making others feel bad, and you just can't accept that you need help-"  
"Help?" Tomokazu sneered. "Help? My god, Sasaki, who are you to talk about help? You're a forty-year-old virgin who gets paid diddly squat to deal with people who couldn't care less if you quit or not. And I'm sorry, but a 'compression garment' is still a girdle, and we know that not even they could narrow your waist."  
And he continued, throwing insults left and right, until Anzu was quite willing to rip him limb from evil little limb. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Yugi, motioning for her to leave with the rest of the group moving toward the doors, but she was trapped between Miss Sasaki and Tomokazu's partner, Hikaru.  
"Tomokazu," Minami whispered, "Please, please can you stop-"  
"And you," said he, rounding on the only one who as far as Anzu could see had shown him any sort of kindness, eyes blazing maliciously. "You are the worst person I've ever met. Little girl trying to pretend that she has a normal life, that she'll ever have a normal life, that she has a chance to succeed, that any of us have a chance to succeed. You're just a stupid little girl, Minami, and I really do hate your guts, so just shut up and die. Far, far away from me."  
Minami burst into tears. Silent tears, they were, flowing from pretty ruby eyes down a rose-flushed face. Humiliated, she pushed back her chair and squeezed between the tables into the crowd. People backed away from her as she ran into the building, door swinging shut behind her. An odd silence rang pervaded the spring afternoon. Anzu found herself getting up and beginning to follow her. Something gripped her elbow and she turned to see Honda, eyebrows furrowed, hand on her arm. Yugi and Jounouchi were there as well; farther back were the rest of the participants. As they all began to walk away, Anzu saw Tomokazu, standing there alone, looking at the door.  
"I apologize for that." They all looked back and saw a sad-faced girl. "I did enjoy today, truly I did, and I thank you, Jounouchi."  
Jounouchi blushed and waved his hand as though to say, "Ah, forget it." They must have been partners.  
"Why did she let him say those things to her?" Anzu wondered to herself. The girl heard her.  
"Who, Minami?" Anzu nodded. "Oh, she's the sweetest person you'll ever meet. And Tomokazu.. He's a jerk, to put it mildly, but he and Minami have known each other forever. She tries so hard to make him act like even a semi-human being, and he just makes her cry." Then, with a boldness that surprised them all, "He thinks he's so much smarter than everyone, so much better, and he can't even figure out that for some inexplicable reason she's in love him."  
There was an odd silence. "Well, thanks for having us," Yugi murmured quietly. "We'd better leave."  
And they all moved toward the exit.  
  
A/N: Yeah, I know, I know, there wasn't even a mention of Seto, and it didn't seem at all related toward the summary, but you know this is the first chapter, and without it none of the rest will make sense. The next one will move along more. 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games and do not receive profit from it. Also, one of the events present in the storyline was derived from the wonderful CLAMP's Clover, and I should add that I don't own that either. However, the basic storyline is mine, as are all added characters.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
As Tomokazu made his way slowly to his room, he could feel the angry glares trained on him like lasers. Everyone at Stoneridge was furious at him. He didn't really care; it just piqued his curiosity that after such a mild attack they were all so bothered. He supposed it was because Minami had cried in front of them. It wasn't anything new; he made her cry all the time, but she was, after all, usually careful to make sure no one saw her. The event had done nothing but depress him. It had shown him that everyone, not just the people here, had his head crammed quite snugly up his ass. He would have enjoyed an argument with someone that could counter his wit.  
Minami had looked very hurt. And why should he care? Tact was for those not witty enough to be sarcastic. Ignoring all the furious faces of the people, and the one closed door, he climbed his way up to his room. He had better things to do then think about the idiocy of the masses.  
He had his computer.  
Tomokazu was nothing if not skilled at the computer. Though he was good at everything this was where his genius truly showed. He was able to hack into pretty much any system he wanted, had actually managed to crash the mainframe of a company's computer system. Fortunately it was a small company, and the police hadn't really bothered to look into who was responsible.  
He idly logged on and began to search the mainframe of the newest company he had been able to penetrate. It was really funny, how complacent people could be about secrets protected by such flimsy guardians.  
PASSWORD, the screen said.  
Ha. Password.  
He quickly hacked through. Hmm. This wasn't the most exciting of files, now, was it? Just a game corporation. He looked through and found toy shipments, factories, very boring stuff. He was just about to leave when something caught his eye.  
HOLOGRAPHIC GENERATORS  
Intrigued, Tomokazu clicked on the link.  
KAIBA CORPORATION  
Strange, he'd heard that name before. Where? He tried to open the file.  
ACCESS DENIED  
What? He tried again.  
ACCESS DENIED  
Tomokazu felt, under his initial unwillingness to understand that he could have failed, anger. Why wasn't his program working? It had to, all the systems before had crumbled under it. What was different here?  
The anger faded as quickly as it had come. This Kaiba Cooperation, this place with a name he did not know how he knew, was very big, very powerful, and so very advanced that it actually posed a challenge for him.  
Fun time.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Sorry, everyone," Yugi apologized, for what seemed to be the millionth time. "I didn't expect it to turn out the way it did."  
"It's fine, Yugi," Anzu sighed. "Really, it was fun, until the end."  
Jounouchi looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She had seemed more subdued than the others, coming home. He didn't see why; certainly that bastard Tomokazu had been venting his spleen at everyone within sight, but he was an idiot and not to be paid attention to. Definitely, though, she seemed depressed.  
Honda noticed it too. "Hey, Anzu, what's up?"  
"Nothing," she murmured.  
Yugi turned around and looked at her intently. His Millennium Puzzle glinted in the light of the setting sun. Yugi may have believed her, but his Yami did not.  
Anzu stared at her feet for the longest time as they meandered toward the shop of Yugi's grandfather. As they approached the door, Anzu looked up.  
"I'd like to go back there, if I can," she stated. "Is that okay, Yugi?"  
For a moment, Yugi seemed surprised, but then his gentle smile spread across his face. "I'll see, Anzu."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
THE NEXT MORNING  
  
Yugi wasn't paying much attention as he crossed the road. This is a dangerous thing, and Yugi learned as much when he was nearly run over. If it weren't for Yami, he might have been; but the holder of a Millennium Item does not die very easily. The driver, however, was unaware of this, and after neatly avoiding a heart attack, slowed down to scream his head off at the moron whose mother hadn't even taught him to look both ways before crossing the street. Then the driver realized that he was talking to Yugi Motou, the Champion of Duel Monsters, and was repentant. After many apologies from Yugi, and then from the driver, the incident was smoothed over.  
"And be more careful next time," said the driver as Yugi collected the things he had dropped when he thought he was to be transformed into a pancake.  
"I will," he replied, grinning embarrassedly.  
The driver was about to go when the need to gossip overtook him. "Hey, did you hear about Stoneridge?"  
Yugi stopped suddenly. "What about it?"  
"Some kid. He went missing last night. Apparently it was after this huge disaster that occurred earlier in the day."  
"Really?" Yugi said, trying to sound innocently curious and not offended by his brainchild being called a disaster.  
"Yeah. Can't remember his name though; and I just read about it, too."  
"Where?"  
"Let's see, could it be the newspaper stand?" Then, noticing a sort of intentness about Yugi's face, he added, "If you're planning to do some detective work, I wouldn't bother. I'm a journalist, and we like to pump things up because then more people read your paper. There was just a teeny little article on it. This is a sob story. Teeny sob stories mean that someone big is covering this up." Then, a little sardonically, "Bigger even then a popular celebrity like you. Though you could give an interview."  
"Um, thanks for the advice," Yugi replied, feeling stupid.  
"Sure. And if you do find anything out, do me a favor and don't get yourself run over anytime soon. I'd like to hear what really happened."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
STONERIDGE CHILD GONE MISSING  
An odd whoosh of emotions rushed through him as he looked at the paper. It drew his attention like a magnet and he forgot that he had a full cup of coffee in his hand, releasing his grip. The antique cup shattered on the cold marble floor, a splattering of coffee on everything in the near vicinity.  
Seto Kaiba cursed and deftly grabbed each and every piece of porcelain in a single swipe. Some sliced through his skin, drawing blood, but as there already was a mess he didn't care, not even when it began to drip on the floor. Fine, he'd ruined an atrociously expensive cup and the worth of the whole set as well. Just fine.  
He remembered Stoneridge quite clearly; the fresh lawns, stupid people, Mokuba clutching his hand in terror as he realized they might be separated.  
But they hadn't. And he had his own house now, an entire company, and he was just fine. Emotionally he was as twisted as possible, but financially? Fine.  
The article itself was very brief, mentioning one Tomokazu Akane, and that he had been missing since late last night. His last actions appeared to be web-surfing.  
Seto dimly remembered someone audacious enough to actually try to hack into his own company's system at the same time. He'd quickly detected whom and had IMed him, as was his way, to shock him. They'd actually begun to chat, the perpetrator seeming a little suspicious and trying to deny his act before he realized that Kaiba wasn't intending to use it against him. Neither had told each other who they were, but Kaiba had passed himself of as a fellow hacker.  
Not that he wasn't, but sometimes situations call for hidden truths.  
The article was surprisingly short. Usually stories like that took up a page and were mentioned for at least a week. Normally he would have been glad, if not it had been one of the few that he'd have had any interest in reading. He could smell a cover-up.  
And he was bored. Maybe he'd look into it sometime.  
Probably not, though, as he really didn't care. Anything it might have to do with him was trivial, he reasoned as he logged on to his account. Tripe, he told himself, as he looked it up on his search engine.  
Delusion.  
He began to search. No, he didn't care about that child, it could rot in hell for all he cared, for it had no possibility of affecting him. Or that one. Or that one. Pedophiles, it seemed, were on the rise.  
He tried various other names, and was feeling incredibly frustrated when he stumbled onto a page that answered all his queries.  
SEARCH: "Cover-up"  
RESULTS: "Cover up those stains!"  
No, that wasn't very helpful. Though his kitchen floor.  
And then. Seto saw a banner, labeled CLAW PROJECT  
His heart stopped. He glared at the banner, as though he could melt it away with sheer will, but it defiantly stayed put.  
He clicked.  
WARNING  
WARNING  
WARNING  
He ignored the flashing words on the screen.  
WARNING  
WARNING  
WARNING  
Then, a small screen popped up.  
~This site has been banned by the national government for inappropriate and defiant content. Any visitor will be arrested~  
Arrested for visiting a website? Rather touchy, neh?  
Of course, he went.  
  
A/N: Jumbled, weird, pointless, I know, but I added the prologue at the beginning, and that's going to have to satisfy you until I can get the next chapter out. THAT'S the one. *_*0 I'm aggravated by my own writing. 


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games and do not receive profit from it. Also, one of the events present in the storyline was derived from the wonderful CLAMP's Clover, and I should add that I don't own that either. However, the basic storyline is mine, as are all added characters.  
  
A/N: This chapter is slightly AU.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The soft glow of the computer screen in front of her was reflected by her angled sunglasses. Her hair appeared black in the darkness, but when lit up by the console it was revealed to be a dark purple. Her suit, however, was definitely ebony, and the crisp high-heels she wore seemed designed to skewer anything she happened to step on. Her nametag read, "Natsumi Akane". She was hardly ever called that, however; all anyone referred to her as was "Miss", and she didn't much care either way. Some said she was cold, others cruel, but she did her job, she did it well, and as long as nothing went wrong she was fine. When she had started out working for the government she had been entirely unaware projects like this existed. Had assumed that all the treaties and signatures declaring civil rights mattered actually had an effect. Had thought that the people who ran the country had a set of morals. Any time a citizen became significantly unusual, it was her job to dispose of them. Any time they came close to realization, she disposed of them. The average person would have been horrified, disgusted, if they were to obtain the knowledge of what was truly done here. Actually her superiors would be, too, on a lesser degree; mostly they would have been infuriated at her disobedience. The depth of her actions were illegal, and mostly without clearance. ALERT The warning flashed upon the screen, and she accessed the file to let her view the problem. ILLEGAL WEBSITE VISITED Of course, of course, what else was new? Some angry gin-soaked rebel trying to thwart the government. Stupid, really, it was from their interference that she kept her job. A click of the mouse and she was on the site itself. Profile, where was its profile, ah, there it- Behind the glasses the eyes widened. She, unfeeling and jaded, was surprised. The fact that there was even a website dedicated to one of the most secretive experiments of history was amazing. Not that it was the worst, she reflected, just the most secretive. CLAW PROJECT She did an analysis and discovered that the visitor was accessing it on a regular computer, nothing special, and quite easy to take care of. She activated a virus, and watched with a bare satisfaction as the computer became infected and crashed. Job done. ALERT A new warning. She found that a highly important official was accessing a porn website, and moved with far more relish to stop it. Humiliating a superior was always welcome.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Attention: You have been tricked All of you Every single last one of you Except my fellows We know  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Miss Sasaki was most upset. "Where is he?!" she wailed. The police officer in front of her raised an eyebrow. "I have told you," he said, "that though young Tomokazu's whereabouts are currently unknown, he could not possibly be in any real danger." "Damn," a passing boy whispered. "It seems to me that he would be the typical child to run away- and if you'd let me look, I'm sure he'll be back soon-" "He'll never come back, never, never, never! Oh, it's all my fault, what did I do wrong, everything, oh, oh." and so on and so forth. Basically everyone else in the school was quite delighted about Tomokazu's disappearance. He was rude and cruel and had easily made himself most unpopular. It is an odd thing, but when a person is talented and attractive his cruelty and haughtiness are more offensive to the snubbed. If any sadness was felt on the whole event, it was for Minami. She was one of the few good people that are still drawing breath, and she, having found a place in everyone's heart, was not a person that could hurt and not draw compassion. No one was quite sure why she was so attached to Tomokazu, but she was, and the dewiness of her eyes and depression of her whole character soon infected everyone around her. If she were aware of her affect she would of course had tried to brighten up, but there you go.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Okay, so are the Millennium Items involved?" "No." "Duel Monsters?" "Not that I know of." "Fate of the world?" "Nothing like that." "Doomsday tournaments?" "Probably not." "Arrogant pricks?" "Jounouchi." "Tacos that don't have enough meat in them?" "Okay, now you're being irrelevant." "Now?" Honda asked Yugi dubiously. "Hey, shut up, Honda." "Shut up yourself, Jounouchi, you were-" "Oh be quiet, the both of you!" Anzu snapped. She'd forgotten to study for a test, was quite sure she'd failed it, and was now in an irritable mood. Yugi smiled gently at her, and for completely unrelated reasons she felt soothed. "So, why are we involved?" Jounouchi asked, suddenly remembering to ask the question he had been building up to. "Because someone innocent is in danger." "No proof of that." "There's a chance." "Oh, of the danger. Jerk like that isn't innocent." "Jounouchi!" "Gotta agree with him there, Yugi," Honda added unhelpfully. "Okay, shut up," Anzu said, ending a possible fight. "The reason that we're getting involved is-" The rest of the sentence was drowned out in a driver's furious honking. "Okay?" "Okay," the rest chorused. She had explained everything perfectly.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Night had fallen. Shadows flickered eerily, wrapping around the slim beams of light from the half moon. The van slid silently along the road, approaching the neighborhood at an alarming speed. Inside a house, a large African man was preparing dinner. He could hear his two-year-old daughter splashing around in the tub and his wife, Kendra, scolding her as she tried to force the dirt off her. Omar shook his head, his smile revealing startlingly white teeth. Those two. A ring at the door made him pause. "Honey?" Kendra called. "Can you get it? I'm-" he heard her gasp as water splashed down her dress. "Busy," she finished in a defeated tone. "Don't worry, I'm on it," Omar replied, trying unsuccessfully not to laugh, and, abandoning his soup, went to the door. "What can I do for you?" he asked, swinging open the door wide. "I-" There was no one there. Omar's dark eyebrows furrowed. That old feeling was upon him again, like he was going to be attacked. He slowly swiveled his head, first one way, then the other, searching, for what, he couldn't say. Something moved at his feet. He bent down to look at it and felt something smooth and cold being pressed against the back of his neck. A terrible pain surged through his body, followed by a complete numbness. A small part of his brain still capable of rational thought was racing. The rest of it was blissfully blank. He heard, as though from far away, "Number 25, Rank One. You have been resistant to all previous summons, and are being deported directly to your station. Move out." Omar's large feet lightly trod on the lawn, his two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle barely denting the soft ground. He barely registered Kendra's voice, calling, "Omar, honey, who is it? Omar?" He fairly bounded into the van, effortless, as he had been able to do only a very long time ago. The others there seemed to take no notice of him, but all could sense each other. There was no need to look. The van pulled away, smoothly and quietly as it had come. Kendra appeared at the door, looking slightly concerned. "Omar?" 


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games and do not receive profit from it. Also, one of the events present in the storyline was derived from the wonderful CLAMP's Clover, and I should add that I don't own that either. However, the basic storyline is mine, as are all added characters.  
  
A/N: My inspiration for this chapter is some guy droning about how to hold your golf club. So beware.  
  
There was an odd mountain chain near the shore. It wrapped around itself, so from an aerial view it was a circle comprised of five dots. Each mountain was a different height, from what could have passed as a very large hill to a monster rivaling Mt. Everest. Inside the circle it all fell down to a very deep valley, more of a pit than anything else. Its twinkling depths faded down to a point where all light vanished and a menacing darkness existed. If that same aerial view zoomed closer a commotion could be seen around the valley. Dark vans coming from every direction were pulling up to the smattering of buildings around the edge, checking through the guarded perimeter before emptying their contents and going out again. The commotion was by no means hurried. It went along as fast as it could, but no mistakes were made. Each group was separated and herded into the black depths. The boy stood fiddling with his long black hair, intense blue eyes searching as though trying to see something beyond the mass of people around him. Nothing was shown, however, and he quietly allowed himself to be led to the largest throng in the area. He stopped twisting his hair and softly brought his hand up to the back of neck, rubbing the black tattoo engraved upon it. I  
  
~*~  
  
9 MORE PEOPLE DISAPPEAR  
  
He stared at the headline, willing it to go away, but as usual it didn't work. First that orphan boy, now this, and he knew if he checked more papers he would find more people gone seemingly without a trace. Unconsciously he began to chew his lip raw. It was beginning. BRING! Seto Kaiba started and stared uncomprehendingly at the phone behind him. It hardly seemed real that there were people in the world who still cared about commission. He was sure it was a salesman; who else would call? He grasped the ringing instrument and brought it to his ear. "Hello?" "Hello, sir. Would you be willing to switch your phone plan to-?" Seto sucked in his breath. "Oh, sorry, but now's not really a good time. Could I have your home number and I can call you back?" There was a slight pause. Then, "Um, sir, I can't do that." "Why? Oh, you don't want people to call you at home?" "Well no, sir, not really." "Well now you know how I feel," Seto replied, and promptly hung up.  
  
~*~  
  
Yukari wrapped her arm around the shivering girl nest to her. Minami smiled at her, albeit weakly, and said, "I'm fine, Yukari." Her tone turned slightly bitter. "I know why he went." The ebony-haired girl frowned viciously. "He's not worth your time, Minami. I don't see why you haven't gone out and found someone else." I know you don't, Minami said silently. How could you? BOOM! Both girls gasped as the entire room suddenly shook. Books fell from the desk and the vanity mirror shattered. In a moment the tremors ceased. Screams issued forth from outside. Minami regained herself rather quickly and sped toward the doorway. She threw open the door and raced out. Yukari stared dumbly after her. In a moment she came back, looking scared. "Yukari!" she cried. "A kid down the hall is hurt. Come with me-help him- I I've got to get Miss Sasaki!" Her friend shook her head, trying to rearrange her thoughts so that they made sense again. Suddenly she stood up and followed her friend resolutely toward the door. "Just show me where, Minami-chan," she said. Minami smiled only a little-but it was a real smile, and that would have gratified anyone who knew her. "I knew you'd do it. C'mon!" The girls raced down the hall. Minami pointed her down the hall before running away. Yukari hurried as fast as she could, but before she'd even touched the door it flew open, nearly smacking her in the face. She was relieved at the near miss before the person rushing out finished the job. "Oof!" she grunted as a boy a few years older than she rammed into her, knocking her flat on her backside. Something hard slammed into the back of her head, and for a moment everything winked out. She looked up and found curly read hair tickling her face. Worried blue eyes gazed at her, and vaguely she heard a concerned inquiry. "Crap! Are you hurt? Did I kill you? I'm so sorry! I didn't kill you. What am I talking about? Crap!" "I'm fine," she murmured weakly, not quite able to tear herself away from the cute face before her. She held out her hand and allowed herself to be pulled up. As she still looked wobbly, the boy grabbed her shoulders to make sure she didn't fall down again. Cute. He was cute. Like a teddy bear. "Are you hurt?" she heard herself ask. "What? Me? No. You are. AAAH! You're bleeding! Crap, I DID kill you!" "What?" she asked, feeling the back of her head tenderly. The pain nearly made her swoon. She pulled her hand away and saw it dripped with something red. Blood. "Let me take you to the nurse," he cried, and guided her gently down the hall. It seemed vaguely ironic. She'd come here. Why? It hurt to think. The nurse tended to her briefly. Everyone chatted about that funny earthquake. It was a very innocent scene, and despite the pain in her head, Yukari enjoyed it. Later she would learn the boy's name, Taichi. Later she would discover the earthquake had been so concentrated that it was artificial. Later she would find her best friend gone without a trace.  
  
~*~  
  
Minami sped along the hall. Her feet barely touched the ground, as though she slid rather than ran. Miss Sasaki's office was at the very end of the hall. She went straight out the door. She hated lying. She hated that the last thing she had said to her best friend was a lie. She hated the black van waiting for her. The buzzing pain at the back of her neck erased her hate altogether. "Number Two, Rank Four, Seaka C.E. Four. Your arrival was delayed. Move out." A beautiful pink light briefly glowed around her. Then she moved and almost instantly was inside the truck.  
  
I'm coming, love. 


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games and do not receive profit from it. Also, one of the events present in the storyline was derived from the wonderful CLAMP's Clover, and I should add that I don't own that either. However, the basic storyline is mine, as are all added characters.  
  
9 months. That's three quarters of a year, the length of the human gestation period, and how long it takes me to update. Yeah, I know that's pathetic. Anyway, on the very slight change anyone remembers this fic. enjoy!  
  
~.~ = Yuugi *.* = Yami  
  
~*~  
  
He waited in the dusk and gloom of the cavernous hole. From his vantage point he could see all that passed beneath him. They gathered in hundreds but not one of them was the one for which he yearned. Frustration bit at him, and despair rose up. He forced it down and recalled for the millionth time the promise that had been given to him, why he had let his other leave at all. He remembered.  
  
~*~  
  
"I'm leaving." The agony that rose up inside the ebony-haired boy was beyond words. White- eyes blinked rapidly as his mouth moved automatically, but the only thing he could think of was, "Why?" The child looked at him with beautiful sapphire eyes full of a pain that tore at him, because he knew its cause. "What you did. you killed an innocent." "She was trying to take you away!" he cried, hate and anger at the dead girl rising up within him, unable to fathom why his other could not see. Then, very quietly, "She was trying to take you away from me." "Couldn't you trust me?" the first asked quietly, and guilt began to eat at him. "Seaka?" Seaka. Those who were bound together inextricably. Doubly powerful side- by-side, doubly weakened when apart. Two that were one. "I do," he answered honestly. "I trust you with my soul." "Then why the need to eliminate any possible threats?" the boy asked, gently stating the obvious. "You. you're the only one I've ever trusted," he tried to explain, not quite sure himself, but talking because both needed to know. "I've always relied upon myself because that was always what I had. You are the only one that I care about. I was so scared to lose you. That's why I stopped, that time," he added, another, even more powerful memory surfacing. "I would have died, and where would you be? I don't care about myself, but for you." The blue-eyed boy gently traced the scar upon his cheek. "I know," he said softly. "But you broke the bond. You couldn't trust, you killed, and I need to leave." "I'll die, alone," he whispered, and it was true. "I'll come back," he promised, and his eyes burned. "When they find me, I'll come back."  
  
~*~  
  
He remembered, and he waited.  
  
~*~  
  
When Anzu called she was in an extremely bad temper. "You know why I hate computers?" she demanded of Yuugi. "No," said Yuugi cautiously. Then, feeling that they'd better get to the point, "Why?" "Because they hate me, that's why," she raged. "I've been to the library 15 times, and every time I look something up something they crash. It's like something is thwarting me on purpose. I've found nothing. Absolutely nothing! Is there some news from your front?" Though very afraid of her reaction, Yuugi was forced to answer. "There are more disappearances," he said hesitantly. "In this area as well. Minami, Tomokazu's friend, is gone without a trace, besides almost a dozen others." There was a deadly silence. "But thanks for the info," he added, suddenly inspired. "I think you've given me a lead." "How?" "The." Yuugi desperately made something up, "The *absence* of information is a lead in itself. I think somebody doesn't want us to find anything out." He felt Anzu perk up. "Really?" "Sure," he lied cheerfully. "I mean, an epidemic of missing children? Many of whom had no connections in the world? Somebody big is covering this." "Hey, I guess you're right, Yuugi," Anzu said agreeably. "Hey, why don't we all meet up? It'd be great to share any theories or info." "Sure. How about my grandpa's game shop after three?" "Fine with me. See you later, Yuugi!" Yuugi hung up, feeling immensely proud of himself at preventing a possible breakdown for Anzu. She really was overloaded, he reflected, with all the schoolwork, forgetting that he had responsibilities numbering even more than hers. *You have plenty of responsibility yourself, Aibou, * said a voice suddenly, in the back of his mind. ~I know. but I have you, don't I?~ A grin flashed across Yami's face before it set back into its normal deadpan. *And why did you lie to Anzu? I was under the impression friends always told the truth. That is what characterizes the friendship, no?* ~It's called a white lie- a lie that does good rather than harm. Did you want her to explode? ~ Yuugi challenged him. *No, * he replied, almost smiling again. *But Aibou, I think you really do have something about the disappearances. I searched for them, the missing children, and something was blocking me. * Yuugi nearly laughed at the annoyed look on his Yami's face- Yami hated failing at anything- but regained control enough to say, ~What could block the mighty power of a pharaoh?~ The traditional frown on his dark side's face deepened. *I honestly don't know. There was one, once-* he felt Yuugi grab on to what he thought was a lead and hastily corrected him- *but it was destroyed completely about the time when the Millennium Items were created.* ~Oh,~ Yuugi replied, deflated. ~Well, I suppose we should get ready for An- ~ CRASH! The door flew upon with such a might force it dented the wall behind it. Yugi started in shock at the illuminated figure in the doorway. "WHERE IS HE?!" the figure cried, advancing menacingly. As he stepped into the light, Yuugi recognized him. ~Yami, I think our situation just got a lot worse,~ he whispered. 


End file.
